Win2k Server...want to go to linux!

[KH85]

right then...

i am wanting to learn linux.

i have a Win2k Server hosting a few sites with PHP and SQL installed

i want to move from Win2k to Linux. i have Mandrake 9.1 and i understand that Apache is auto installed on it (if you choose it!) does Linux come with PHP and SQL auto installed? or will i have to install them myself? if they dont come auto install where can i get them from AND how do install them? i used linux for awhile and have it on dual boot on my laptop but i am still not fully aware of the FULL POWER of linux. how can i make this server MORE secure than Win2K?

this server is behind a router which has a built in firewall - which is not that good as i have been hacked before when in Win2K so i want a FULLY SECURE OS which is why i am chosing linux as i have seen that it can be hard to hack sometime impossiable unless you know the root passwork (which will be a collection of random letters, number and symbols!)

Thanks in advance

any input welcome

KHGamez

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

does Linux come with PHP and SQL auto installed? or will i have to install them myself?

Of course not, linux is just the kernel. I guess you are asking whether mandrake comes with php and *an sql database* (there is no magical "sql" database), that all depends on what you chose during installation. Try running something like "rpm -qa php" and "rpm -qa sql" (something like that, I'm no rpm expert of any sort).

if they dont come auto install where can i get them from AND how do install them?

I believe mandrake's urpmi package manager can do this for you. I don't know the exact answer, your best bet is to not rely on other people for answers, and start searching google and whatnot. You'll get alot farther alot faster.

how can i make this server MORE secure than Win2K?

I would say two things: 1. Keep stuff up to date. This is pretty easy. 2. Get to know the software you are using and configure/use it properly. You can have the latest greatest version of apache but if you do something stupid, no one is going to save you from yourself.

this server is behind a router which has a built in firewall - which is not that good as i have been hacked before when in Win2K so i want a FULLY SECURE OS which is why i am chosing linux as i have seen that it can be hard to hack sometime impossiable unless you know the root passwork (which will be a collection of random letters, number and symbols!)

No offense, but that wasn't win2k's fault, it was yours (or whoever put the machine in a state where it was vulnerable). Linux is no more secure than windows if you don't know what you're doing.

Good luck.

 

[KH85]

umm ok then....

that was a bit on the sarcy side with the GO SEARCH GOOGLE .......

i thought these forums where here so people like me can get help, well that is at least what i do on here. it would be pretty pointless to have these forums if every answered each question in the same way "GO AND SEARCH FOR YOUR ANSWER!" i was only asking a nice simple question but i guess i am off to google to look for my answer or even better ill just go and install mandrake and figure it myself and if anyone else asks a similar question ill just say GO SEARCH GOOGLE!

L8rs all i am off to play with mandrake 9.1

 

[Sunner]

What BBWF meant was that you should do your own homework.
As in, if you need to know how to configure Apache, try finding out yourself first, like so:
Go to Google
Type "apache server configuration" or something along those lines.
Lo and behold, the first thing that showed up: "Apache HTTP Server: Security Tips", and it's from the official Apache site, so there's bound to be more documentation there, nice eh?
Many opensource projects are well documented, and many are unfortunately poorly documented, but do find out which category your software belongs to before asking.

Of course if you have some wierd problem that's not explained in the documentation, that's what mailinglists, forums, newgroups, etc are for

 

[spyordie007]

forums are great for specific questions and I'm sure you would have gotten many more answers if you had asked a specific question rather than several broad reaching and possibly vague questions. I would recommend that you setup mandrake 9.1 on a crashbox and ask specific questions about the packages you are trying to work with.

One tip I have for you to keep in mind is that with Linux you will be using MySQL and not Microsoft SQL and they do work a little differant, it's possible that your PHP pages wont work correctly when they get moved over if they have queries or syntax that MySQL and MS-SQL dont share.

-Spy

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

i thought these forums where here so people like me can get help, well that is at least what i do on here. it would be pretty pointless to have these forums if every answered each question in the same way "GO AND SEARCH FOR YOUR ANSWER!"

I mentioned it for 2 reason:

1. As I mentioned, I am not a mandrake user and I don't personally know the answer.
2. As I also mentioned, you'll probably find the answer alot faster. You can wait around for hours or days for the answer here, or you can search google and find it likely within minutes. I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it, just trying to help you solve your problem faster. That sometimes involves doing more work

 

[earthman]

Mandrake isn't any more secure than Windows 2000, and if your firewall was set up right, you wouldn't have been hacked.